A Local’s Guide to India

Shaaz Jung has hardly ever known a life outside the jungle. A wildlife enthusiast since childhood, Jung has spent the last decade in Nagarhole National Park in Karnataka, documenting India’s big cats. Last year, his stunning photographs of the majestic black panther took the internet by storm. The photographer and naturalist gives us an insider’s guide to discovering India’s wildlife.

This interview is part of The World Made Local, a global collaboration between the seven international editions of Condé Nast Traveler in which 100 people in 100 countries tell us why their home turf should be your next destination.

What are some of the best places to spot India’s big cats?

Bandipur National Park in the south is where my journey began, but it is in Nagarhole Tiger Reserve where I found my true calling and passion for wildlife. Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, in Karnataka, South India, is quickly becoming one of the most popular wildlife destinations for its high density of Asiatic wildlife. The tourism zone has a very high prey density due to the man-made waterholes and salt licks. Over the past decade, the population of tigers has doubled, and today the park offers fabulous tiger sightings. Nagarhole is also home to the world’s most elusive cat, the melanistic leopard.

Where is a photographer’s dream spot to capture India’s wildlife?

Each state offers something unique. The forests of Central India have beautiful tiger-scapes that are immersed in history. Parts of East India have animals like the rhinoceros and red panda that are indigenous to the area. Deep in the mountains of North India, by the rivers of ice and in valleys of snow, roams the elusive snow leopard.

What are your top photography tips?

The forest is full of untold stories waiting to be uncovered. A good photograph is all about telling a compelling story that instills a sense of emotion in the viewer. These stories can be told anywhere. The jungles are your stage, the animals are your characters, and the camera is your tool to weave it all together. Powerful storytelling has the ability to create awareness, spark change, and protect ecosystems.

What is your all-time favorite wildlife spot?

In jungles like Bandipur and Nagarhole, you can go on a safari with the possibility of seeing bears, elephants, tigers, leopards, melanistic leopards, gaur, dholes, and so much more. Where else in the world can you get this incredible diversity in Asiatic wildlife? It is truly The Jungle Book. A jungle that connects me to my childhood, where I keep returning to find the inner child in me.

What advice would you give to those planning their first safari trip in India?

A good guide is most important. A good guide won’t just show you good wildlife but will also teach you the right ethics and how to respect the wilderness and its inhabitants. A good guide will make you see how small you truly are amid the grandeur of nature. He or she should help you understand the essence of a safari, which isn’t just about spotting animals. It’s about understanding the social structures, emotional bonds, fear, and beauty that lie in these woods. It’s about exploration, in the hope that you will understand the spirit of the enchanted forest, riddled with secrets and untold stories. He or she is the difference between a normal safari and a life-defining experience.

Follow Shaaz Jung on Instagram @shaazjung